Family rift? Nonsense - Diana saved her mother from drowning and was her 'best chum'

Last updated at 12:00 21 January 2008

Inquest claims of a rift between Princess Diana and her mother are nonsense, according to her former official protection officer, who has released private letters giving a vivid picture of a strong and loving relationship.

In fact, Diana once saved Frances Shand Kydd from drowning and thought of her as her "best chum", according to the hitherto secret letters written to Inspector Ken Wharfe.

The revelations roundly contradict claims by Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, that she had fallen out with Mrs Shand Kydd and had been branded "a whore" by her for "messing around" with Muslim men.

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During almost seven years as the Princess of Wales's Scotland Yard personal protection officer, Mr Wharfe became a friend and confidant to both women.

In a series of letters to him beginning almost 20 years ago, Mrs Shand Kydd - who died in 2004 aged 68 - shared family secrets and discussed Diana's agonies during the break-up of her marriage to Prince Charles.

Mr Wharfe has released the letters to London's Evening Standard because he is furious at the allegations made last week by Mr Burrell at the inquest into Diana's death.

"It damages Mrs Shand Kydd's memory and I, for one, know how close she and the princess were. They might have the occasional spat, like in any family, but deep down her mother was the one Diana turned to."

Mr Wharfe witnessed the moment that Diana saved her mother's life during a Caribbean holiday at Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island with princes William and Harry.

Their boat veered suddenly and threw them all into the water. Everyone swam back to the vessel except Mrs Shand Kydd. Diana spotted her sinking, dived in and pulled her to the surface.

One of the letters, written from Mrs Shand Kydd's home, Ardencaple on the Isle of Seil west of Scotland, late in 1991 at the height of Diana's distress over her marriage, begins:

"Dear Ken, I can't let another day go by without writing to record a huge thankyou to you for your great help viz Angela [the code name they used for Diana].

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"She sees life colourfully and believes me to be her best chum - a compliment and a responsibility. I do seem able to get her to throttle back a bit on her real fears, whether they are imagined or not, so I couldn't be more grateful for your help.

"I'm humble enough to say I don't know the cure for her deep anxiety; I do think she was intimidated."

The letters refer to one family row in which Diana was called "a trollop" - but by her maternal grandmother

Lady Fermoy, not by Mrs Shand Kydd.

Diana told her mother that Lady Fermoy - the Queen Mother's lady-in-waiting and closest friend - had called her "a trollop" after she wore close-fitting leather trousers at Kensington Palace.

But far from agreeing with Lady Fermoy and the Queen Mother - who had also apparently criticised Diana - Mrs Shand Kydd told Mr Wharfe: "My mother is a jealous, interfering old faggot, and I'd better not say what I think of the other one."

By then, barely on speaking terms with Charles, the princess believed the entire royal family was hostile and turned to her mother for moral support.

Mrs Shand Kydd and Mr Wharfe became friends during holidays with Diana and the princes, often at her Scottish island home where Diana could escape media attention.

Mr Wharfe said: "Diana went for long walks - often alone - and spent hours talking to her mother."

When Mr Wharfe moved from the role of protecting the princess to take up other duties, Mrs Shand Kydd wrote to him: "I do ... want to say my biggest thankyou to you for your truly magnificent caring of her - you probably know her better than me!"

He had acted "in good and bad times as a wise adviser and robust cherisher" for the princess, she wrote.

Mr Wharfe has offered the coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, access to the letters but the offer has been declined for undisclosed reasons.

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Family rift? Nonsense - Diana saved her mother from drowning and was her 'best chum'